Rumer Willis Undergoes Genetic Testing Amid Father Bruce Willis' Dementia Battle

Rumer Willis has undergone genetic testing to assess her risk for Alzheimer's disease, a decision spurred by her father Bruce Willis' ongoing battle with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The actress, 38, partnered with Function, a health membership service, for the APOE genetic test.

Willis shared on Instagram that the test determines her predisposition to Alzheimer's, a concern given her family's medical history. She described the experience as "terrifying" but emphasized the importance of having information about one's health. "I really miss my dad. I miss a different version of who he was. There are some days that are just so hard," Willis said, reflecting on her father's condition. "I try to prioritize being present with where he’s at now."

Regarding her own genetic results, Willis revealed she has an "average" risk score, indicating some potential for developing the disease but not an unusually high probability. She also noted that other family members have faced conditions like breast cancer.

Bruce Willis was diagnosed with FTD in 2023, several months after retiring from acting due to aphasia. Since then, Rumer and her sisters, Tallulah and Scout, who are Bruce Willis' daughters with ex-wife Demi Moore, have provided updates on their father's health. In May, Rumer Willis shared that her father had developed a "sweetness" amid his illness. "He’s always been this kind of macho dude and there’s like a — fragile is not the right word but — just a tenderness that maybe being Bruce Willis might not have allowed him in a certain way," she said at the time.

Willis told People that while the process of receiving health answers can be frightening, knowledge is power. She believes that proactive health measures can mitigate more severe health consequences later in life. "I think health is one of those things that we take for granted until we don’t have it," she stated. "And I think that if you are taking small steps right now to be proactive about it, you might not have to have such a steep fall off the cliff as you get older."